During the regular season, the seeds reflect how the playoffs would stand if the season ended up to that point. The NFL playoffs are not based on a pure bracket system. In the divisional playoffs, the No. 1 seed is assured of playing the lowest-seeded Wild Card survivor. There are no restrictions on intra-division games and the higher seed of any matchup will have home-field advantage.

Tiebreakers

AFC tiebreakers:

Kansas City is ahead of the L.A. Chargers in the AFC West based on head to head (1-0).

Baltimore and Buffalo are ahead of the L.A. Chargers based on conference record (Ravens' 5-4 and Bills' 5-4 to the Chargers' 4-5).

Buffalo is ahead of Baltimore based on strength of victory (.404 to the Ravens' .378).

Baltimore is ahead of the L.A. Chargers based on conference record (5-4 to the Chargers' 4-5).

Oakland is ahead of Miami based on head to head (1-0).

The N.Y. Jets are ahead of Cincinnati based on conference record (5-5 to the Bengals' 5-6).

Houston is ahead of Denver based on conference record (3-6 to the Broncos' 3-7).

NFC tiebreakers:

New Orleans is ahead of Carolina in the NFC South based on head to head (2-0).

L.A. Rams are ahead of New Orleans based on head to head (1-0).

Atlanta is ahead of Seattle based on head to head (1-0).

Detroit is ahead of Green Bay in the NFC North based on head to head (1-0).

Detroit is ahead of Dallas based on common games record (3-1 to the Cowboys' 3-2).

Green Bay is ahead of Dallas based on head to head (1-0).

Tampa Bay is ahead of Chicago based on head to head (1-0).

Tiebreaker Rules

The six postseason participants from each conference will be seeded as follows:

The division champion with the best record.

The division champion with the second-best record.

The division champion with the third-best record.

The division champion with the fourth-best record.

The Wild Card club with the best record.

The Wild Card club with the second-best record.

The following procedures will be used to break standings ties for postseason playoffs and to determine regular-season
schedules.NOTE: Tie games count as one-half win and one-half loss for both clubs.

TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION:

If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with the best won-lost-tied percentage, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined.

Two Clubs:

Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).

Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.

Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.

Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.

Strength of victory.

Strength of schedule.

Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best net points in common games.

Best net points in all games.

Best net touchdowns in all games.

Coin toss.

Three or More Clubs:
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after one or more clubs are eliminated during any step, tie-breaker re-starts at Step One of two-club format. If three clubs remain tied after a fourth club is eliminated during any step, tie-breaker re-starts at Step One of three-club format.)

Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).

Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.

Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.

Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.

Strength of victory.

Strength of schedule.

Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best net points in common games.

Best net points in all games.

Best net touchdowns in all games.

Coin toss.

TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM OR AMONG DIVISION WINNERS:
If it is necessary to break ties to determine the two Wild-Card clubs from each conference, the following steps will be taken.

If the tied clubs are from the same division, apply division tie breaker.

If the tied clubs are from different divisions, apply the following steps.

Two Clubs:

Head-to-head, if applicable.

Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.

Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.

Strength of victory.

Strength of schedule.

Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best net points in conference games.

Best net points in all games.

Best net touchdowns in all games.

Coin toss.

Three or More Clubs:
(Note: If two clubs remain tied after one or more clubs are eliminated during any step, tie-breaker re-starts at Step One of two-club format. If three clubs remain tied after a fourth club is eliminated during any step, tie-breaker re-starts at Step One of three-club format.)

Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.

Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)

Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.

Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.

Strength of victory.

Strength of schedule.

Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.

Best net points in conference games.

Best net points in all games.

Best net touchdowns in all games.

Coin toss

When the first Wild-Card team has been identified, the procedure is
repeated to name the second Wild-Card, i.e., eliminate all but the
highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. In
situations where three or more teams from the same division are involved
in the procedure, the original seeding of the teams remains the same for
subsequent applications of the tie breaker if the top-ranked team in
that division qualifies for a Wild-Card berth.

OTHER TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURES

Only one club advances to the playoffs in any tie-breaking step. Remaining tied clubs revert to the first step of the applicable division or Wild-Card tie breakers. As an example, if two clubs remain tied in any tie-breaker step after all other clubs have been eliminated, the procedure reverts to step one of the two-club format to determine the winner. When one club wins the tie breaker, all other clubs revert to step 1 of the applicable two-club or three-club format.

In comparing division and conference records or records against common opponents among tied teams, the best won-lost-tied percentage is the deciding factor since teams may have played an unequal number of games.

To determine home-field priority for Wild-Card qualifiers, apply division tie breakers (if teams are from the same division) or Wild-Card tie breakers (if teams are from different divisions).

Tie Breaking Procedure for Draft:

Clubs not participating in the playoffs shall select in the first through 20th positions in reverse standings order.

The Super Bowl winner is last and Super Bowl loser is next-to-last.

The losers of the Conference Championship games shall select 29th and 30th based on won-lost-tied percentage.

The losers of the Divisional playoff games shall select 25th through 28th based on won-lost-tied percentage.

The losers of the Wild Card games shall select 21st through 24th based on won-lost-tied percentage.

If ties exist in any grouping except (2) above, such ties shall be
broken by strength-of-schedule. If any ties cannot be broken by
strength-of-schedule, the divisional or conference tie-breakers, if
applicable, shall be applied. Any ties that still exist shall be
broken by a coin flip.

Tie-breaking procedure for the NFL Draft

Clubs not participating in the playoffs shall select in the first through 20th positions in reverse standings order.

The Super Bowl winner is last and Super Bowl loser is next-to-last.

The losers of the Conference Championship games shall select 29th and 30th based on won-lost-tied percentage.

The losers of the Divisional playoff games shall select 25th through 28th based on won-lost-tied percentage.

The losers of the Wild Card games shall select 21st through 24th based on won-lost-tied percentage.

If ties exist in any grouping except (2) above, such ties shall be
broken by strength-of-schedule. If any ties cannot be broken by
strength-of-schedule, the divisional or conference tie-breakers, if
applicable, shall be applied. Any ties that still exist shall be
broken by a coin flip.